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(2017)
In many regions of the world, snow accumulation and melt constitute important components of the hydrologic cycle. With the objective to improve model performance of the hydrological model WASA-SED (Water Availability in Semi-Arid environments - SEDiments) in catchments affected by snow and ice, a physically-based snow routine has been implemented into the model. The snow routine bases on the energy-balance method of the ECHSE (Eco-hydrological Simulation Environment) software. A first test application has been conducted in two sub-basins of the Isábena river catchment (Central Spanish Pre-Pyrenees). Results were validated using satellite-derived snow cover data. Furthermore, a rainfall gauge correction algorithm to restore the liquid precipitation signal of measurements affected by solid precipitation was applied. The snow module proved to be able to capture the dynamics of the snow cover forming during the cold months of the year. The temporary storage of water in the snow cover is able to improve simulations of river discharge. General patterns of the temporal evolution of observed and simulated snow cover fractions coincide. The work conducted only represents a first step in the process of implementation and evaluation of a physically-based snow routine into WASA-SED. Future work is necessary to further improve and test the snow routine and to resolve difficulties that occurred during model applications in the catchment.
Stable isotopes in precipitation: Modelling intra-event variations using meteorological parameters
(2017)
The short-term variability of the isotopic composition of precipitation in Golm, Germany was assessed and modelled. Isotopic data (D/H and 18O/16O) on intra-event timescales as well as meteorological data from a weather station and a micro rain radar was used. After data preparation and the combination of all three data sets, a multivariate linear regression analysis was conducted. This was done for four different isotopic response variables and for the entire data set as well as for the two subsets Summer and Winter. The used response variables are the δ18O values as the difference to the corresponding event-based mean and as the difference to the median, and the deuterium excess values as the difference to both the mean and the median. The models were evaluated by comparing the modelled values with the observed ones. This showed that the observations could not be reproduced in a satisfactory way. Therefore, several suggestions on how to possibly improve the methods and thus the modelling results are given in the end.
The dynamics of fragmentation and vibration of molecular systems with a large number of coupled degrees of freedom are key aspects for understanding chemical reactivity and properties. Here we present a resonant inelastic X-ray scattering (RIXS) study to show how it is possible to break down such a complex multidimensional problem into elementary components. Local multimode nuclear wave packets created by X-ray excitation to different core-excited potential energy surfaces (PESs) will act as spatial gates to selectively probe the particular ground-state vibrational modes and, hence, the PES along these modes. We demonstrate this principle by combining ultra-high resolution RIXS measurements for gas-phase water with state-of-the-art simulations.
Die Femtosekundendynamik nach resonanten Photoanregungen mit optischen und Röntgenpulsen ermöglicht eine selektive Verformung von chemischen N‐H‐ und N‐C‐Bindungen in 2‐Thiopyridon in wässriger Lösung. Die Untersuchung der orbitalspezifischen elektronischen Struktur und ihrer Dynamik auf ultrakurzen Zeitskalen mit resonanter inelastischer Röntgenstreuung an der N1s‐Resonanz am Synchrotron und dem Freie‐Elektronen‐Laser LCLS in Kombination mit quantenchemischen Multikonfigurationsberechnungen erbringen den direkten Nachweis dieser kontrollierten photoinduzierten Molekülverformungen und ihrer ultrakurzen Zeitskala.
The femtosecond excited-state dynamics following resonant photoexcitation enable the selective deformation of N-H and N-C chemical bonds in 2-thiopyridone in aqueous solution with optical or X-ray pulses. In combination with multiconfigurational quantum-chemical calculations, the orbital-specific electronic structure and its ultrafast dynamics accessed with resonant inelastic X-ray scattering at the N 1s level using synchrotron radiation and the soft X-ray free-electron laser LCLS provide direct evidence for this controlled photoinduced molecular deformation and its ultrashort time-scale.
Background
Proficiency in fundamental movement skills (FMS) lays the foundation for being physically active and developing more complex motor skills. Improving these motor skills may provide enhanced opportunities for the development of a variety of perceptual, social, and cognitive skills.
Objective
The objective of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to assess the effects of FMS interventions on actual FMS, targeting typically developing young children.
Method
Searches in seven databases (CINAHL, Embase, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science) up to August 2015 were completed. Trials with children (aged 2-6 years) in childcare or kindergarten settings that applied FMS-enhancing intervention programs of at least 4 weeks and meeting the inclusion criteria were included. Standardized data extraction forms were used. Risk of bias was assessed using a standard scoring scheme (Effective Public Health Practice Project-Quality Assessment Tool for Quantitative Studies [EPHPP]). We calculated effects on overall FMS, object control and locomotor subscales (OCS and LMS) by weighted standardized mean differences (SMDbetween) using random-effects models. Certainty in training effects was evaluated using GRADE (Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation System).
Results
Thirty trials (15 randomized controlled trials and 15 controlled trials) involving 6126 preschoolers (aged 3.3-5.5 years) revealed significant differences among groups in favor of the intervention group (INT) with small-to-large effects on overall FMS (SMDbetween 0.46), OCS (SMDbetween 1.36), and LMS (SMDbetween 0.94). Our certainty in the treatment estimates based on GRADE is very low.
Conclusions
Although there is relevant effectiveness of programs to improve FMS proficiency in healthy young children, they need to be interpreted with care as they are based on low-quality evidence and immediate post-intervention effects without long-term follow-up.
Die langfristigen Auswirkungen von Frühgeburtlichkeit auf kognitive Entwicklung und Schulerfolg
(2017)
In einer prospektiven Längsschnittstudie wurde der Zusammenhang zwischen früher Responsivität der Mutter und kognitiver Entwicklung ihrer früh- bzw. reifgeborenen Kinder untersucht. Im Alter von drei Monaten wurde dafür die Mutter-Kind-Interaktion mittels Verhaltensbeobachtung erfasst. Bei n=351 der teilnehmenden Kinder (101 frühgeboren) wurde die allgemeine Intelligenz (IQ) im Alter von 11 Jahren und bei n=313 (85 frühgeboren) zusätzlich der höchste erreichte Schulabschluss bis 25 Jahren erhoben. Frühgeborene wiesen mit 11 Jahren einen signifikant niedrigeren IQ als Reifgeborene auf, nachdem für mögliche konfundierende Faktoren kontrolliert worden war. Nur bei Früh-, nicht aber bei Reifgeborenen zeigte sich ein signifikanter positiver Zusammenhang zwischen mütterlicher Responsivität und IQ. Für die Wahrscheinlichkeit einen höheren Schulabschluss (mind. Fachabitur) zu erreichen, fand sich weder ein signifikanter Effekt von Frühgeburtlichkeit noch von mütterlicher Responsivität.
Shifts among Eukaryota, Bacteria, and Archaea define the vertical organization of a lake sediment
(2017)
Background
Lake sediments harbor diverse microbial communities that cycle carbon and nutrients while being constantly colonized and potentially buried by organic matter sinking from the water column. The interaction of activity and burial remained largely unexplored in aquatic sediments. We aimed to relate taxonomic composition to sediment biogeochemical parameters, test whether community turnover with depth resulted from taxonomic replacement or from richness effects, and to provide a basic model for the vertical community structure in sediments.
Methods
We analyzed four replicate sediment cores taken from 30-m depth in oligo-mesotrophic Lake Stechlin in northern Germany. Each 30-cm core spanned ca. 170 years of sediment accumulation according to 137Cs dating and was sectioned into layers 1–4 cm thick. We examined a full suite of biogeochemical parameters and used DNA metabarcoding to examine community composition of microbial Archaea, Bacteria, and Eukaryota.
Results
Community β-diversity indicated nearly complete turnover within the uppermost 30 cm. We observed a pronounced shift from Eukaryota- and Bacteria-dominated upper layers (<5 cm) to Bacteria-dominated intermediate layers (5–14 cm) and to deep layers (>14 cm) dominated by enigmatic Archaea that typically occur in deep-sea sediments. Taxonomic replacement was the prevalent mechanism in structuring the community composition and was linked to parameters indicative of microbial activity (e.g., CO2 and CH4 concentration, bacterial protein production). Richness loss played a lesser role but was linked to conservative parameters (e.g., C, N, P) indicative of past conditions.
Conclusions
By including all three domains, we were able to directly link the exponential decay of eukaryotes with the active sediment microbial community. The dominance of Archaea in deeper layers confirms earlier findings from marine systems and establishes freshwater sediments as a potential low-energy environment, similar to deep sea sediments. We propose a general model of sediment structure and function based on microbial characteristics and burial processes. An upper “replacement horizon” is dominated by rapid taxonomic turnover with depth, high microbial activity, and biotic interactions. A lower “depauperate horizon” is characterized by low taxonomic richness, more stable “low-energy” conditions, and a dominance of enigmatic Archaea.
Reaching the Sustainable Development Goals requires a fundamental socio-economic transformation accompanied by substantial investment in low-carbon infrastructure. Such a sustainability transition represents a non-marginal change, driven by behavioral factors and systemic interactions. However, typical economic models used to assess a sustainability transition focus on marginal changes around a local optimum, whichby constructionlead to negative effects. Thus, these models do not allow evaluating a sustainability transition that might have substantial positive effects. This paper examines which mechanisms need to be included in a standard computable general equilibrium model to overcome these limitations and to give a more comprehensive view of the effects of climate change mitigation. Simulation results show that, given an ambitious greenhouse gas emission constraint and a price of carbon, positive economic effects are possible if (1) technical progress results (partly) endogenously from the model and (2) a policy intervention triggering an increase of investment is introduced. Additionally, if (3) the investment behavior of firms is influenced by their sales expectations, the effects are amplified. The results provide suggestions for policy-makers, because the outcome indicates that investment-oriented climate policies can lead to more desirable outcomes in economic, social and environmental terms.
Molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) have the potential to complement antibodies in bioanalysis, are more stable under harsh conditions, and are potentially cheaper to produce. However, the affinity and especially the selectivity of MIPs are in general lower than those of their biological pendants. Enzymes are useful tools for the preparation of MIPs for both low and high-molecular weight targets: As a green alternative to the well-established methods of chemical polymerization, enzyme-initiated polymerization has been introduced and the removal of protein templates by proteases has been successfully applied. Furthermore, MIPs have been coupled with enzymes in order to enhance the analytical performance of biomimetic sensors: Enzymes have been used in MIP-sensors as tracers for the generation and amplification of the measuring signal. In addition, enzymatic pretreatment of an analyte can extend the analyte spectrum and eliminate interferences.
Sequelae of prematurity triggered by oxidative stress and free radical-mediated tissue damage have coined the term "oxygen radical disease of prematurity". Caffeine, a potent free radical scavenger and adenosine receptor antagonist, reduces rates of brain damage in preterm infants. In the present study, we investigated the effects of caffeine on oxidative stress markers, anti-oxidative response, inflammation, redox-sensitive transcription factors, apoptosis, and extracellular matrix following the induction of hyperoxia in neonatal rats. The brain of a rat pups at postnatal Day 6 (P6) corresponds to that of a human fetal brain at 28-32 weeks gestation and the neonatal rat is an ideal model in which to investigate effects of oxidative stress and neuroprotection of caffeine on the developing brain. Six-day-old Wistar rats were pre-treated with caffeine and exposed to 80% oxygen for 24 and 48 h. Caffeine reduced oxidative stress marker (heme oxygenase-1, lipid peroxidation, hydrogen peroxide, and glutamate-cysteine ligase catalytic subunit (GCLC)), promoted anti-oxidative response (superoxide dismutase, peroxiredoxin 1, and sulfiredoxin 1), down-regulated pro-inflammatory cytokines, modulated redox-sensitive transcription factor expression (Nrf2/Keap1, and NF kappa B), reduced pro-apoptotic effectors (poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 (PARP-1), apoptosis inducing factor (AIF), and caspase-3), and diminished extracellular matrix degeneration (matrix metalloproteinases (MMP) 2, and inhibitor of metalloproteinase (TIMP) 1/2). Our study affirms that caffeine is a pleiotropic neuroprotective drug in the developing brain due to its anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-apoptotic properties.
EDTA and NTA effectively tune the mineralization of calcium phosphate from bulk aqueous solution
(2017)
This study describes the effects of nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA) and ethylenediaminotetraacetic acid (EDTA) on themineralization of calciumphosphate from bulk aqueous solution. Mineralization was performed between pH 6 and 9 and with NTA or EDTA concentrations of 0, 5, 10, and 15 mM. X-ray diffraction and infrared spectroscopy show that at low pH, mainly brushite precipitates and at higher pH, mostly hydroxyapatite forms. Both additives alter the morphology of the precipitates. Without additive, brushite precipitates as large plates. With NTA, the morphology changes to an unusual rod-like shape. With EDTA, the edges of the particles are rounded and disk-like particles form. Conductivity and pH measurements suggest that the final products form through several intermediate steps.
Postpartale Depressionen sind häufige und schwerwiegende psychische Erkrankungen mit ungünstigem Einfluss auf die kindliche Entwicklung. Als Haupttransmissionsweg gilt die frühe Mutter-Kind-Interaktion. Über die langfristigen Auswirkungen auf die Kinder im Erwachsenenalter und die Rolle der Interaktion liegen kaum Ergebnisse vor. Im Rahmen der Mannheimer Risikokinderstudie wurden postpartale Depressionen bis zwei Jahre nach der Geburt erfasst. Die kindliche Entwicklung wurde fortlaufend und die Mutter-Kind-Interaktion im Alter von 3 Monaten standardisiert erhoben. 28 Kinder postpartal depressiver und 107 Kinder gesunder Mütter konnten mit 25 Jahren untersucht werden. Beeinträchtigungen der kognitiven und psychischen Entwicklung bei Kindern postpartal depressiver Mütter waren bis ins Erwachsenenalter nachweisbar. Responsives bzw. sensitives mütterliches Verhalten wirkte der negativen Entwicklung entgegen. Dies betont die Bedeutung einer hohen Qualität der Mutter-Kind-Interaktion für die Entwicklung von Risikokindern.
Lafora disease (LD, OMIM #254780) is a rare, recessively inherited neurodegenerative disease with adolescent onset, resulting in progressive myoclonus epilepsy which is fatal usually within ten years of symptom onset. The disease is caused by loss-of-function mutations in either of the two genes EPM2A (laforin) or EPM2B (malin). It characteristically involves the accumulation of insoluble glycogen-derived particles, named Lafora bodies (LBs), which are considered neurotoxic and causative of the disease. The pathogenesis of LD is therefore centred on the question of how insoluble LBs emerge from soluble glycogen. Recent data clearly show that an abnormal glycogen chain length distribution, but neither hyperphosphorylation nor impairment of general autophagy, strictly correlates with glycogen accumulation and the presence of LBs. This review summarizes results obtained with patients, mouse models, and cell lines and consolidates apparent paradoxes in the LD literature. Based on the growing body of evidence, it proposes that LD is predominantly caused by an impairment in chain-length regulation affecting only a small proportion of the cellular glycogen. A better grasp of LD pathogenesis will further develop our understanding of glycogen metabolism and structure. It will also facilitate the development of clinical interventions that appropriately target the underlying cause of LD.
This review analyzes the potential role and long-term effects of field perennial polycultures (mixtures) in agricultural systems, with the aim of reducing the trade-offs between provisioning and regulating ecosystem services. First, crop rotations are identified as a suitable tool for the assessment of the long-term effects of perennial polycultures on ecosystem services, which are not visible at the single-crop level. Second, the ability of perennial polycultures to support ecosystem services when used in crop rotations is quantified through eight agricultural ecosystem services. Legume-grass mixtures and wildflower mixtures are used as examples of perennial polycultures, and compared with silage maize as a typical crop for biomass production. Perennial polycultures enhance soil fertility, soil protection, climate regulation, pollination, pest and weed control, and landscape aesthetics compared with maize. They also score lower for biomass production compared with maize, which confirms the trade-off between provisioning and regulating ecosystem services. However, the additional positive factors provided by perennial polycultures, such as reduced costs for mineral fertilizer, pesticides, and soil tillage, and a significant preceding crop effect that increases the yields of subsequent crops, should be taken into account. However, a full assessment of agricultural ecosystem services requires a more holistic analysis that is beyond the capabilities of current frameworks.
The Tibetan Plateau, the world's largest orogenic plateau, hosts thousands of lakes that play prominent roles as water resources, environmental archives, and sources of natural hazards such as glacier lake outburst floods. Previous studies have reported that the size of lakes on the Tibetan Plateau has changed rapidly in recent years, possibly because of atmospheric warming. Tracking these changes systematically with remote sensing data is challenging given the different spectral signatures of water, the potential for confusing lakes with glaciers, and difficulties in classifying frozen or partly frozen lakes. Object-based image analysis (OBIA) offers new opportunities for automated classification in this context, and we have explored this method for mapping lakes from LANDSAT images and Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) elevation data. We tested our algorithm for most of the Tibetan Plateau, where lakes in tectonic depressions or blocked by glaciers and sediments have different surface colours and seasonal ice cover in images obtained in 1995 and 2015. We combined a modified normalised difference water index (MNDWI) with OBIA and local topographic slope data in order to classify lakes with an area > 10 km(2). Our method derived 323 water bodies, with a total area of 31,258 km(2), or 2.6% of the study area (in 2015). The same number of lakes had covered only 24,892 km(2) in 1995; lake area has increased by -26% in the past two decades. The classification had estimated producer's and user's accuracies of 0.98, with a Cohen's kappa and F-score of 0.98, and may thus be a useful approximation for quantifying regional hydrological budgets. We have shown that our method is flexible and transferable to detecting lakes in diverse physical settings on several continents with similar success rates.
Modifications of transfer RNA (tRNA) have been shown to play critical roles in the biogenesis, metabolism, structural stability and function of RNA molecules, and the specific modifications of nucleobases with sulfur atoms in tRNA are present in pro- and eukaryotes. Here, especially the thiomodifications xm(5)s(2)U at the wobble position 34 in tRNAs for Lys, Gln and Glu, were suggested to have an important role during the translation process by ensuring accurate deciphering of the genetic code and by stabilization of the tRNA structure. The trafficking and delivery of sulfur nucleosides is a complex process carried out by sulfur relay systems involving numerous proteins, which not only deliver sulfur to the specific tRNAs but also to other sulfur-containing molecules including iron-sulfur clusters, thiamin, biotin, lipoic acid and molybdopterin (MPT). Among the biosynthesis of these sulfur-containing molecules, the biosynthesis of the molybdenum cofactor (Moco) and the synthesis of thio-modified tRNAs in particular show a surprising link by sharing protein components for sulfur mobilization in pro- and eukaryotes.
This study combines spaceborne multitemporal and hyperspectral data to analyze the spatial distribution of surface evaporite minerals and changes in a semi-arid depositional environment associated with episodic flooding events, the Omongwa salt pan (Kalahari, Namibia). The dynamic of the surface crust is evaluated by a change-detection approach using the Iterative-reweighted Multivariate Alteration Detection (IR-MAD) based on the Landsat archive imagery from 1984 to 2015. The results show that the salt pan is a highly dynamic and heterogeneous landform. A change gradient is observed from very stable pan border to a highly dynamic central pan. On the basis of hyperspectral EO-1 Hyperion images, the current distribution of surface evaporite minerals is characterized using Spectral Mixture Analysis (SMA). Assessment of field and image endmembers revealed that the pan surface can be categorized into three major crust types based on diagnostic absorption features and mineralogical ground truth data. The mineralogical crust types are related to different zones of surface change as well as pan morphology that influences brine flow during the pan inundation and desiccation cycles. These combined information are used to spatially map depositional environments where the more dynamic halite crust concentrates in lower areas although stable gypsum and calcite/sepiolite crusts appear in higher elevated areas.
Background
The members of the genus Muntiacus are of particular interest to evolutionary biologists due to their extreme chromosomal rearrangements and the ongoing discussions about the number of living species. Red muntjacs have the largest distribution of all muntjacs and were formerly considered as one species. Karyotype differences led to the provisional split between the Southern Red Muntjac (Muntiacus muntjak) and the Northern Red Muntjac (M. vaginalis), but uncertainties remain as, so far, no phylogenetic study has been conducted. Here, we analysed whole mitochondrial genomes of 59 archival and 16 contemporaneous samples to resolve uncertainties about their taxonomy and used red muntjacs as model for understanding the evolutionary history of other species in Southeast Asia.
Results
We found three distinct matrilineal groups of red muntjacs: Sri Lankan red muntjacs (including the Western Ghats) diverged first from other muntjacs about 1.5 Mya; later northern red muntjacs (including North India and Indochina) and southern red muntjacs (Sundaland) split around 1.12 Mya. The diversification of red muntjacs into these three main lineages was likely promoted by two Pleistocene barriers: one through the Indian subcontinent and one separating the Indochinese and Sundaic red muntjacs. Interestingly, we found a high level of gene flow within the populations of northern and southern red muntjacs, indicating gene flow between populations in Indochina and dispersal of red muntjacs over the exposed Sunda Shelf during the Last Glacial Maximum.
Conclusions
Our results provide new insights into the evolution of species in South and Southeast Asia as we found clear genetic differentiation in a widespread and generalist species, corresponding to two known biogeographical barriers: The Isthmus of Kra and the central Indian dry zone. In addition, our molecular data support either the delineation of three monotypic species or three subspecies, but more importantly these data highlight the conservation importance of the Sri Lankan/South Indian red muntjac.
The "Lomonosov" space project is lead by Lomonosov Moscow State University in collaboration with the following key partners: Joint Institute for Nuclear Research, Russia, University of California, Los Angeles (USA), University of Pueblo (Mexico), Sungkyunkwan University (Republic of Korea) and with Russian space industry organi-zations to study some of extreme phenomena in space related to astrophysics, astroparticle physics, space physics, and space biology. The primary goals of this experiment are to study:
-Ultra-high energy cosmic rays (UHECR) in the energy range of the Greizen-ZatsepinKuzmin (GZK) cutoff;
-Ultraviolet (UV) transient luminous events in the upper atmosphere;
-Multi-wavelength study of gamma-ray bursts in visible, UV, gamma, and X-rays;
-Energetic trapped and precipitated radiation (electrons and protons) at low-Earth orbit (LEO) in connection with global geomagnetic disturbances;
-Multicomponent radiation doses along the orbit of spacecraft under different geomagnetic conditions and testing of space segments of optical observations of space-debris and other space objects;
-Instrumental vestibular-sensor conflict of zero-gravity phenomena during space flight.
This paper is directed towards the general description of both scientific goals of the project and scientific equipment on board the satellite. The following papers of this issue are devoted to detailed descriptions of scientific instruments.
Background
In Europe, bank voles (Myodes glareolus) are widely distributed and can transmit Puumala virus (PUUV) to humans, which causes a mild to moderate form of haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome, called nephropathia epidemica. Uncovering the link between host and virus dynamics can help to prevent human PUUV infections in the future. Bank voles were live trapped three times a year in 2010–2013 in three woodland plots in each of four regions in Germany. Bank vole population density was estimated and blood samples collected to detect PUUV specific antibodies.
Results
We demonstrated that fluctuation of PUUV seroprevalence is dependent not only on multi-annual but also on seasonal dynamics of rodent host abundance. Moreover, PUUV infection might affect host fitness, because seropositive individuals survived better from spring to summer than uninfected bank voles. Individual space use was independent of PUUV infections.
Conclusions
Our study provides robust estimations of relevant patterns and processes of the dynamics of PUUV and its rodent host in Central Europe, which are highly important for the future development of predictive models for human hantavirus infection risk.
Im Zuge des Spatial Turn, der in der erwachsenenpädagogischen Raumforschung unübersehbar ist, wird eine Orientierung wahrnehmbar, die dafür plädiert, sich der Materialität räumlicher Arrangements wieder stärker zuzuwenden. Diese Tendenz der Re-Etablierung von Materialität birgt das Risiko, hinter den erreichten Stand des Spatial Turn zurückzukehren. Eine Möglichkeit, der sich anbahnenden ‚Raumfalle’ auszuweichen, könnte darin liegen, sich einer topologischen Perspektive zuzuwenden. Eine solche Perspektive eröffnet nicht nur die Möglichkeit, bisherige Rezeptionssperren im Spatial Turn aufzuheben und dadurch eine Perspektive einzuführen, mit der alternative Blickpunkte exploriert werden können. Im Kontrast zu raumontologischen Auffassungen privilegiert Topologie geradezu die Abstraktion von einer materiellen Verhaftetheit. Der Beitrag verfolgt zweierlei: Einerseits will er das Vokabular erwachsenenpädagogischer Raumforschung ausdifferenzieren, andererseits eine topologische Perspektive einführen, um eine theoretische Grundlage für weiterführende Überlegungen zu schaffen.
In assessing adolescent behavior difficulties, parents, teachers, and the adolescents themselves are key informants. However, substantial disagreement has been found between informants. Specifically, children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) tend to overestimate their competencies, also known as “positive (illusionary) bias.” This study compared parent, teacher, and adolescent ratings of ADHD and other behavioral symptoms in a sample of 114 adolescents with ADHD. Further, the effect of cross-informant disagreement (CID) on treatment outcomes was investigated in a subsample of 54 adolescents who had undergone a training and coaching intervention. Overall, there was moderate agreement among informants. Parent and adolescent ratings were more strongly correlated with each other than with teacher ratings. The strongest discrepancy was found between teacher and adolescent ratings on prosocial behavior. This discrepancy explained 12% of the variance in parent-rated ADHD symptom severity after the intervention. The treatment was less effective in participants with high teacher-adolescent disagreement on prosocial behavior (d = 0.41) than with low disagreement (d = 0.98). These findings suggest that professionals working with adolescents with ADHD should consider multiple sources of information before initiating treatment and pay attention to cross-informant disagreements because these may indicate a risk of diminished treatment effects.
We introduce an abstract concept of quantum field theory on categories fibered in groupoids over the category of spacetimes. This provides us with a general and flexible framework to study quantum field theories defined on spacetimes with extra geometric structures such as bundles, connections and spin structures. Using right Kan extensions, we can assign to any such theory an ordinary quantum field theory defined on the category of spacetimes and we shall clarify under which conditions it satisfies the axioms of locally covariant quantum field theory. The same constructions can be performed in a homotopy theoretic framework by using homotopy right Kan extensions, which allows us to obtain first toy-models of homotopical quantum field theories resembling some aspects of gauge theories.
Background
Cells are able to communicate and coordinate their function within tissues via secreted factors. Aberrant secretion by cancer cells can modulate this intercellular communication, in particular in highly organised tissues such as the liver. Hepatocytes, the major cell type of the liver, secrete Dickkopf (Dkk), which inhibits Wnt/ β-catenin signalling in an autocrine and paracrine manner. Consequently, Dkk modulates the expression of Wnt/ β-catenin target genes. We present a mathematical model that describes the autocrine and paracrine regulation of hepatic gene expression by Dkk under wild-type conditions as well as in the presence of mutant cells.
Results
Our spatial model describes the competition of Dkk and Wnt at receptor level, intra-cellular Wnt/ β-catenin signalling, and the regulation of target gene expression for 21 individual hepatocytes. Autocrine and paracrine regulation is mediated through a feedback mechanism via Dkk and Dkk diffusion along the porto-central axis. Along this axis an APC concentration gradient is modelled as experimentally detected in liver. Simulations of mutant cells demonstrate that already a single mutant cell increases overall Dkk concentration. The influence of the mutant cell on gene expression of surrounding wild-type hepatocytes is limited in magnitude and restricted to hepatocytes in close proximity. To explore the underlying molecular mechanisms, we perform a comprehensive analysis of the model parameters such as diffusion coefficient, mutation strength and feedback strength.
Conclusions
Our simulations show that Dkk concentration is elevated in the presence of a mutant cell. However, the impact of these elevated Dkk levels on wild-type hepatocytes is confined in space and magnitude. The combination of inter- and intracellular processes, such as Dkk feedback, diffusion and Wnt/ β-catenin signal transduction, allow wild-type hepatocytes to largely maintain their gene expression.
BACKGROUND: Reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) ≤30% is the most powerful prognostic indicator for sudden cardiac death (SCD) in patients after myocardial infarction (MI), but there are little data about long-term changes of LVEF after revascularization and the following implantation of a cardioverter defibrillator (ICD).
METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis of 277 patients with reduced LVEF at least 1month after MI and complete revascularization. Patients (median time post-MI 23.4months; 74.3% after PCI, 25.7% after CABG were assigned either to group 1 (LVEF<30%) or group 2 (LVEF 30-40%). Biplane echocardiography was redone after a mean follow-up of 441±220days.
RESULTS: LVEF increased significantly in both two groups (group 1: 26.2±4.8% to 32.4±8.5%; p<0.001; group 2: 38.2±2.5% to 44.4±9.6%; p<0.001). However, statistical analysis of first and second LVEF measurement by means of a LOWESS regression and with an appropriate correction of the regression towards the mean effect revealed only a moderate increase of the mean LVEF from 35 to 37% (p<0.001) with a large interindividual variation.
CONCLUSIONS: The impact of early revascularization on LVEF appears to be low in the majority of post-MI heart failure patients. Owing to the high variability, a single measurement may not be reliable enough to justify a decision on ICD indication.
Background
In patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), gait instability, particularly in dual-task situations, has been associated with impaired executive function and an increased fall risk. Ginkgo biloba extract (GBE) could be an effective mean to improve gait stability.
Aims
This study investigated the effect of GBE on spatiotemporal gait parameters of MCI patients while walking under single and dual-task conditions.
Methods
Fifty patients aged 50-85 years with MCI and associated dual-task-related gait impairment participated in this randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, exploratory phase IV drug trial. Intervention group (IG) patients received GBE (Symfona (R) forte 120 mg) twice-daily for 6 months while control group (CG) patients received placebo capsules. A 6-month open-label phase with identical GBE dosage followed. Gait was quantified at months 0, 3, 6 and 12.
Results
After 6 months, dual-task-related cadence increased in the IG compared to the CG (p = 0.019, d = 0.71). No significant changes, but GBE-associated numerical non-significant trends were found after 6-month treatment for dual-task-related gait velocity and stride time variability.
Discussion
Findings suggest that 120 mg of GBE twice-daily for at least 6 months may improve dual-task-related gait performance in patients with MCI.
Conclusions
The observed gait improvements add to the understanding of the self-reported unspecified improvements among MCI patients when treated with standardised GBE.
Theoretischer Hintergrund: Einflüsse von therapeutenorientiertem Kompetenz-Feedback in der Psychotherapieausbildung wurden bislang wenig untersucht.
Fragestellung: Wie gehen Ausbildungstherapeuten mit Feedback um? Welchen Einfluss hat ein regelmäßiges Kompetenz-Feedback auf die Qualität psychotherapeutischer Behandlungen (insbesondere Therapiesitzungen, therapeutische Beziehung, Person des Therapeuten, Supervision)?
Methode: Elf Therapeuten wurden mithilfe eines halbstrukturierten Interviewleitfadens befragt. Die Auswertung erfolgte mittels qualitativer Inhaltsanalyse nach Mayring (2015).
Ergebnisse: Das auf Basis der Interviews erstellte Kategoriensystem umfasste die Kategorien „Erwartungen an das Feedback“, „Wahrnehmung des Feedbacks“, „Verarbeitung von und Umgang mit Feedback“, „Folgen, Auswirkungen und Veränderungen durch Feedback“ sowie „Verbesserungswünsche“.
Schlussfolgerungen: Therapeuten streben eine Umsetzung des Feedbacks an, welches sich auf die Behandlung, die Supervision, die eigene Person und die therapeutische Beziehung auswirkt.
In einer prospektiven Längsschnittstudie wurden Auswirkungen früher psychosozialer Risiken bis ins junge Erwachsenenalter untersucht und dabei die Rolle von affektiver und behavioraler Dysregulation im Kindesalter als vermittelndem Faktor überprüft. Drei Monate nach der Geburt wurde das Vorliegen von 11 psychosozialen Belastungsfaktoren erfasst. Im Alter von 8 – 15 Jahren wurde dreimal das Child Behavior Checklist-Dysregulationsprofil (CBCL-DP) erhoben. Mit 25 Jahren wurde ein Strukturiertes Klinisches Interview durchgeführt und 309 der Teilnehmer füllten den Young Adult Self-Report aus. Frühe psychosoziale Risiken gingen mit einem erhöhten Risiko für das Vorliegen eines Substanzmissbrauchs im jungen Erwachsenenalter sowie mit erhöhtem externalisierendem und internalisierendem Problemverhalten einher. Der Zusammenhang zwischen frühen psychosozialen Risiken und späterem externalisierendem bzw. internalisierendem Problemverhalten wurde durch das CBCL-DP vermittelt.
Anhand von Daten der Mannheimer Risikokinderstudie, die sich mit der langfristigen Entwicklung von Kindern mit unterschiedlichen Risikobelastungen beschäftigt, wird gezeigt, wie Schutzfaktoren aufseiten des Kindes und seines familiären Umfelds im Verlauf der Entwicklung wirksam werden und zur Entstehung von Resilienz beitragen können. Eine besondere Rolle kommt dabei positiven frühen Eltern-Kind-Beziehungen zu (sowohl Mutter- als auch Vater-Kind-Interaktionen). Daneben spielen auch Interaktionserfahrungen im Alter von zwei Jahren des Kindes eine bedeutsame Rolle; diese schützen Risikokinder davor, eine ungünstige Entwicklung zu nehmen und tragen dazu bei, dass sich Kinder, die in psychosozialen Hochrisikofamilien aufwachsen, trotz ungünstiger „Startbedingungen“ positiv entwickeln. Neben Merkmalen der sozialen Umwelt nehmen auch sprachliche, sozial-emotionale und internale Kompetenzen des Kindes im Entwicklungsverlauf eine wichtige Rolle ein. Diese Kompetenzen ermöglichen es Risikokindern auch unter widrigen Lebensumständen (psychosoziale Hochrisikofamilien, Aufwachsen in Armutsverhältnissen) erfolgreich zu bestehen. Darüber hinaus zeigt die Arbeit, dass Resilienz ein Persönlichkeitsmerkmal ist, das ab dem frühen Erwachsenenalter eine hohe Stabilität besitzt. Mit diesen Befunden verweist die Arbeit auf die große Bedeutung der Resilienz bei der Vorhersage der langfristigen Entwicklung von Risikokindern.
Residents of the Kathmandu Valley experience severe particulate and gaseous air pollution throughout most of the year, even during much of the rainy season. The knowledge base for understanding the air pollution in the Kathmandu Valley was previously very limited, but is improving rapidly due to several field measurement studies conducted in the last few years. Thus far, most analyses of observations in the Kathmandu Valley have been limited to short periods of time at single locations. This study extends on the past studies by examining the spatial and temporal characteristics of two important gaseous air pollutant (CO and O3) based on simultaneous observations over a longer period at five locations within the valley and on its rim, including a supersite (at Bode in the valley center, 1345m above sea level) and four satellite sites (at Paknajol, 1380masl in the Kathmandu city center, at Bhimdhunga (1522masl), a mountain pass on the valley's western rim, at Nagarkot (1901masl), another mountain pass on the eastern rim, and Naikhandi, near the valley's only river outlet). CO and O3 mixing ratios were monitored from January to July 2013, along with other gases and aerosol particles by instruments deployed at the Bode supersite during the international air pollution measurement campaign SusKat-ABC (Sustainable Atmosphere for the Kathmandu Valley – endorsed by the Atmospheric Brown Clouds program of UNEP). The O3 monitoring at Bode, Paknajol and Nagarkot as well as the CO monitoring at Bode were extended beyond July 2013 to investigate their variability over a complete annual cycle. Higher CO mixing ratios were found at Bode than at the outskirt sites (Bhimdhunga, Naikhandi and Nagarkot), and all sites except Nagarkot showed distinct diurnal cycles of CO mixing ratio with morning peaks and daytime lows. Seasonally, CO was higher during the pre-monsoon and winter seasons, especially due to the emissions from brick kiln industries, which only operate during this period, as well as increased domestic heating during winter, and regional forest fires and agro-residue burning. It was lower during the monsoon due to rainfall, which reduces open burning activities within the valley and in the surrounding regions, and thus reduces the sources of CO. The meteorology of the valley also played a key role in determining the CO mixing ratios. Furthermore, there was evidence of some influence of pollution from the greater region around the valley. A top-down estimate of the CO emission flux was made by using the CO mixing ratio and mixing layer height (MLH) measured at Bode. The estimated annual CO flux at Bode was 4.92μgm−2s−1, which is 2–14 times higher than that in widely used emission inventory databases (EDGAR HTAP, REAS and INTEX-B). This difference in CO flux between Bode and other emission databases likely arises from large uncertainties in both the top-down and bottom-up approaches to estimating the emission flux. The O3 mixing ratio was found to be highest during the pre-monsoon season at all sites, while the timing of the seasonal minimum varied across the sites. The daily maximum 8 hour average O3 exceeded the WHO recommended guideline of 50ppb on more days at the hilltop station of Nagarkot (159/357 days) than at the urban valley bottom sites of Paknajol (132/354 days) and Bode (102/353 days), presumably due to the influence of free-tropospheric air at the high-altitude site, as well as to titration of O3 by fresh NOx emissions near the urban sites. More than 78% of the exceedance days were during the pre-monsoon period at all sites. This was due to both favorable meteorological conditions as well as contributions of precursors from regional sources such as forest fires and agro-residue burning. The high O3 mixing ratio observed during the pre-monsoon period is of a high concern for human health and ecosystems, including agroecosystems in the Kathmandu Valley and surrounding regions.
Portal alumni
(2017)
Die Universität Potsdam verlieh am 22. Juni 2017 an
die türkische Politologin Hilal Alkan erstmals den
„Voltaire-Preis für Toleranz und Völkerverständigung
und Respekt vor Differenz“. Mit dem Preis ehrt die
Universität künftig einmal jährlich eine Person, die
sich für die Freiheit von Forschung und Lehre sowie
für das Recht auf freie Meinungsäußerung eingesetzt
hat. Voltaire wurde Namensgeber des Preises, weil er
als Vordenker für den gesellschaftlichen Toleranz-Gedankens
zählt. Sein Plädoyer für Toleranz zwischen
den Religionen, gegen Fanatismus und Aberglauben
ist heute so aktuell wie lange nicht.
Die Stadt Potsdam und ihre Universität sind mit
Voltaire, der Aufklärungsepoche und dem Toleranzgedanken
eng verbunden. In Potsdam lebt der Geist
der Aufklärung und Toleranz, was im Leitbild der Stadt
öffentlich dokumentiert ist. Gelebt wird dieser Geist in
Projekten wie dem „Neuen Potsdamer Toleranzedikt
von 2008“ oder dem Bündnis „Potsdam bekennt Farbe“,
an dem die Universität Potsdam beteiligt ist.
Auch Ehemalige der Universität engagieren sich für
Frieden, Toleranz und Demokratieentwicklung. Da
liegt es nahe das Thema zum inhaltlichen Schwerpunkt
des Ihnen hier vorliegenden Magazins zu machen.
Auf unseren Aufruf zur Mitwirkung meldeten
sich rund 50 Ehemalige aus aller Welt, die von ihren
Engagements berichteten. Eine Auswahl von 12 Berichten
präsentieren wir in diesem Heft.
Mit dabei ist etwa Geoökologe Sylvio Mannel, der in
einem amerikanischen Indianerreservat gearbeitet und
die Lakota bei der Rückbesinnung auf ihre stolze Tradition
unterstützt hat. Oder Nicole Erfurth, die afghanischen
Mädchen eine gute Schulbildung ermöglichen
will. Oder aber Ralf Wunderlich, der als Profitrainer
für Fußball nach Finnland auswanderte und nun mit
Flüchtlingen trainiert.
In diesem Heft stellen wir auch aktuelle Projekte Ihrer
Alma Mater zu diesem Themenkomplex vor und
berichten darüber hinaus von den Höhepunkten des
Jahres 2017.
Landscape and scale-dependent spatial niches of bats foraging above intensively used arable fields
(2017)
Introduction
Bats are threatened by agricultural intensification, and although bat ecology in agricultural landscapes is in the focus of current research, the effects of interacting spatiotemporal factors on species-specific bat activity above farmland remain understudied. Our aim was to identify spatiotemporal factors and their interactions relevant for the activity of bat species above conventionally managed arable fields.
Methods
We repeatedly monitored relative bat activity above open arable fields in Germany using acoustic monitoring. We used site-related biotic and abiotic factors and landscape characteristics across five spatial scales, their combinations, and interactions to identify those factors which best explain variation in bat activity.
Results
Numerous interactions between landscape characteristics and the insect abundance affected bat activity above fields. For instance, Pipistrellus pipistrellus became more active with increasing insect abundance, but only above fields with a low proportion of woody vegetation cover in the surroundings. Additionally, the level of bat activity in summer depended on landscape characteristics. For example, the activity of Pipistrellus nathusii was relatively low in summer above fields that were surrounded by vegetation patches with a high degree of edge complexity (e.g., hedgerow). However, the activity remained at a relatively high level and did not differ between seasons above fields that were surrounded by vegetation patches with a low degree of edge complexity (e.g., roundly shaped forest patch).
Conclusions
Our results revealed that landscape characteristics and their interactions with insect abundance affected bat activity above conventionally managed fields and highlighted the opportunistic foraging behavior of bats. To improve the conditions for bats in agricultural landscapes, we recommend re-establishing landscape heterogeneity to protect aquatic habitats and to increase arthropod availability.
VS30, slope, H800 and f0
(2017)
The aim of this paper is to investigate the ability of various site-condition proxies (SCPs) to reduce ground-motion aleatory variability and evaluate how SCPs capture nonlinearity site effects. The SCPs used here are time-averaged shear-wave velocity in the top 30 m (VS30), the topographical slope (slope), the fundamental resonance frequency (f0) and the depth beyond which Vs exceeds 800 m/s (H800). We considered first the performance of each SCP taken alone and then the combined performance of the 6 SCP pairs [VS30–f0], [VS30–H800], [f0–slope], [H800–slope], [VS30–slope] and [f0–H800]. This analysis is performed using a neural network approach including a random effect applied on a KiK-net subset for derivation of ground-motion prediction equations setting the relationship between various ground-motion parameters such as peak ground acceleration, peak ground velocity and pseudo-spectral acceleration PSA (T), and Mw, RJB, focal depth and SCPs. While the choice of SCP is found to have almost no impact on the median groundmotion prediction, it does impact the level of aleatory uncertainty. VS30 is found to perform the best of single proxies
at short periods (T < 0.6 s), while f0 and H800 perform better at longer periods; considering SCP pairs leads to significant improvements, with particular emphasis on [VS30–H800] and [f0–slope] pairs. The results also indicate significant nonlinearity on the site terms for soft sites and that the most relevant loading parameter for characterising nonlinear site response is the “stiff” spectral ordinate at the considered period.
Portal Wissen = Earth
(2017)
Earth’s surface is constantly changing. It is the synergetic overlap between the geosphere, biosphere, and climatic sphere and influences the development of our planet. It is our habitat and plays a key role in maintaining the wellbeing of humanity. Many aspects of this system as a whole, however, are not yet understood.
This needs to change immediately because there is not much time left for the Earth – or for us. Photographer and filmmaker Yann Arthus- Bertrand warned in 2009, “In less than 200 years we have disturbed the balance of the Earth that has been created in over four billion years.” Potsdam and Berlin geoscientists, biologists, and climatologists have now joined forces*: They are investigating processes of the Earth's surface in order to better understand them on various spatial and time scales and to predict how our living environment will develop.
In this issue of the research magazine “Portal Wissen”, we present some of the research projects as well as the researchers who drive them. We followed researchers to Ethiopia – to the “cradle of humankind” – where elaborate drilling is offering a glimpse into climate history. Analyses of the several-hundred-thousand- year old deposits provide insights not only for geological and climate researchers. Biologists were able to reconstruct how entire ecosystems developed over long periods using state-of-the-art genetic analysis. A geomicrobiologist shows us the vast insight you get when you cross disciplinary boundaries. His research is no longer taking place on and in the earth but even in outer space. The young researchers of the research training group StRatGy cut large boulders from the Argentinean Andes into the thinnest of slices in order to understand how the mountains developed. And a data analysis expert explains why it is not enough to collect and feed a lot of data into a computer; they also have to be made readable using the right analytic tools.
“The world is a fine place and worth the fighting for,” wrote Ernest Hemingway. This is exactly what researchers are doing when they look for solutions to prevent humanity from irreversibly damaging the Earth. We met a researcher who is working with colleagues throughout Europe to learn more about trace elements and using plants as pollutant “vacuum cleaners”. And it was explained to us how satellite images taken from afar are revolutionizing nature conservation.
The diversity of research at the University of Potsdam should not be forgotten. We followed administrative scientists on the trail of successful reforms around the world and we looked at how reading can be more successful. We asked what supplementary extracurricular lessons can offer (or not offer) and looked into the networked classroom of the future. Germanists also revealed their Brandenburg linguistic treasures to us, psychologists showed us their experiments, and a historian explained to us why the MfS – the GDR state security ministry – were active as development workers. Last but not least, we visited a chemist in the lab, were introduced to the language of climate images, and listened to a romance philologist who researches with all her senses.
Enjoy your read!
The Editors
Portal Wissen = rich
(2017)
The current Issue of Portal Wissen is entitled “reich”, a German word with several meanings. Both an adjective and a noun, it can be translated as rich, wealthy, and abundant, or realm, empire, and kingdom. It is also part of words like Reichtum (wealth, fortune), Reichweite (reach, scope), lehrreich (informative, instructive) and ruhmreich (glorious, renowned*).
Realms – a complex subject. While the worldly empires of mankind come and go, even if they often claim the opposite, and the eternal existence of the kingdom of heaven has not been credibly proven, another and much older realm has an almost inexhaustible wealth – the animal and plant kingdom.
Speaking of wealth: Some people are rich and want to stay rich at any price. Others still want to become rich and are looking for a path to wealth – some for the fastest, some for the easiest, and some for the perfect path. There are even people who want to leave nothing to chance and use a scientific approach, for example the American author Wallace D. Wattles, who published the book The Science of Getting Rich in 1903. His essay was intended for “for the men and women whose most pressing need is for money; who wish to get rich first, and philosophize afterward.” He was so convinced of his work that he even offered a guarantee of success. Anyone who followed his manual would “undoubtedly become rich because the science that is used here is an exact science, and failure is impossible.”
Wattles has been almost forgotten, but the secret of wealth – at least financial wealth – seems anything but deciphered. Some have got it, others want it. There are worlds in between – as well as envy, prejudices and ignorance. More than enough reason for us to look again at Wallace D. Wattles and his self-confidently presented alleged relationship between wealth and science, and to say: Yes! Of course, science makes us rich, but primarily rich in perception, experience and – in knowledge. Science in itself is not glorious but instructive. The great thing is: All can equally benefit from the wealth created by science at the same time. Nobody has to get rich at the expense of others, on the contrary: You can often achieve much more together with others. Everything else comes (almost) by itself. “Those who acquire knowledge are richly rewarded by God,” is the religiously informed praise of sciences by the Islamic prophet Muhammad.
The current issue of the Portal Wissen, however, focuses on facts, which is admittedly not in style at the moment. We therefore invite you to a tour of the University of Potsdam and its partners. It is about studies on the rich biodiversity of porpoises and lab mice. We present a historian who studies rich church treasures and talk with an education researcher about the secret of financial wealth. German philologists explain the rich language of literary criticism in the era of Enlightenment, and we follow a geo-scientist into the mountains where he moved large boulders to find the right stones. It is also about the cities of tomorrow, which have many high-rise buildings but are still (rich in) green, abundant water from once-in-acentury flash floods, and insects as an alternative to a rich diet of tomorrow. We take you to the border area of two disciplines where law and philosophy work hand in hand, talk with two literary scholars who are studying the astounding reach of the Schlager phenomenon of traditional German-language pop music, and learn from a sustainability researcher how to work together to achieve long-term solutions for pressing global problems.
We wish you a pleasant read!
The Editors
Gegenstand der Dissertation ist die Präsentation von Kleidermode in ihr gewidmeten Sonderausstellungen, die in zunehmender Zahl seit den 1990er Jahren in musealen und musemsähnlichen Kontexten veranstaltet werden. Es geht darum, wie Modekörper und vestimentäre Artefakte in diesen Ausstellungen gezeigt werden und welche ästhetischen Erfahrungen sich für die RezipientInnen aus der jeweiligen Konstellation von vestimentärem Objekt und Inszenierungsmittel ergeben können. Das Augenmerk liegt auf der Spannung zwischen dem visuellen Imperativ musealer Zeigepraktiken und den multisensorischen Qualitäten der Kleidermode, v. a. jener hautsinnlichen, die sich aus dem unmittelbaren Kontakt zwischen Körper und Kleid ergeben.
Die zentrale These ist, dass sich das Hautsinnliche der Kleidermode trotz des Berührungsverbots in vielen Ausstellungsinszenierungen zeigen kann. D. h., dass – entgegen häufig wiederholter Behauptungen – ‚der Körper‘, das Tragen und die Bewegung nicht per se oder komplett aus den Kleidern gewichen sind, werden diese musealisiert und ausgestellt. Es findet eine Verschiebung des Körperlichen und Hautsinnlichen, wie das Anfassen, Tragen und Bewegen, in visuelle Darstellungsformen statt. Hautsinnliche Qualitäten der vestimentären Exponate können, auch in Abhängigkeit von den jeweils verwendeten Präsentationsmitteln, von den BesucherInnen in unterschiedlichen Abstufungen sehend oder buchstäblich gespürt werden.
An konkreten Beispielen wird zum einen das Verhältnis von ausgestelltem Kleid und Präsentationsmittel(n) in den Displays untersucht. Dabei stehen folgende Mittel im Fokus, mit deren Hilfe die vestimentären Exponate zur Schau gestellt werden: Vitrinen, Podeste, Ersatzkörper wie Mannequins, optische Hilfsmittel wie Lupen, Bildmedien oder (bewegte) Installationen. Zum anderen wird analysiert, welche Wirkungen die Arrangements jeweils erzielen oder verhindern können, und zwar in Hinblick auf mögliche ästhetische Erfahrungen, die taktilen, haptischen und kinästhetischen Qualitäten der Exponate als BesucherIn sehend oder buchstäblich zu fühlen oder zu spüren. Ob als Identifikation, Projektion, Haptic Vision – es handelt sich um ästhetische Erfahrungen, die sich aus den modischen Kompetenzen der BetrachterInnen speisen und bei denen sich Visuelles und Hautsinnliches oft überlagern.
In der Untersuchung wird eine vernachlässigte, wenn nicht gar unerwünschte Rezeptionsweise diskutiert, die von den AkteurInnen der spezifischen Debatte bspw. als konsumptives Sehen abgewertet wird. Die von mir vorgeschlagene, stärker differenzierende Perspektive ist zugleich eine Kritik an dem bisherigen Diskurs und seinem eng gefassten, teilweise elitären Verständnis von Museum, Bildung und Wissen, mit dem sich AkteurInnen und Institutionen abgrenzen. Der Spezialdiskurs über musealisierte und exponierte Kleidermode steht zudem exemplarisch für die Diskussion, was das Museum, verstanden als Institution, sein kann und soll(te) und ob (und wenn ja, wie) es sich überhaupt noch von anderen Orten und Räumen klar abgrenzen lässt.
Purpose: Comparison of the dissociation kinetics of rapid-acting insulins lispro, aspart, glulisine and human insulin under physiologically relevant conditions.
Methods: Dissociation kinetics after dilution were monitored directly in terms of the average molecular mass using combined static and dynamic light scattering. Changes in tertiary structure were detected by near-UV circular dichroism.
Results: Glulisine forms compact hexamers in formulation even in the absence of Zn2+. Upon severe dilution, these rapidly dissociate into monomers in less than 10 s. In contrast, in formulations of lispro and aspart, the presence of Zn2+ and phenolic compounds is essential for formation of compact R6 hexamers. These slowly dissociate in times ranging from seconds to one hour depending on the concentration of phenolic additives. The disadvantage of the long dissociation times of lispro and aspart can be diminished by a rapid depletion of the concentration of phenolic additives independent of the insulin dilution. This is especially important in conditions similar to those after subcutaneous injection, where only minor dilution of the insulins occurs.
Conclusion: Knowledge of the diverging dissociation mechanisms of lispro and aspart compared to glulisine will be helpful for optimizing formulation conditions of rapid-acting insulins.
The transition from hunting and gathering to farming involved profound cultural and technological changes. In Western and Central Europe, these changes occurred rapidly and synchronously after the arrival of early farmers of Anatolian origin [1-3], who largely replaced the local Mesolithic hunter-gatherers [1, 4-6]. Further east, in the Baltic region, the transition was gradual, with little or no genetic input from incoming farmers [7]. Here we use ancient DNA to investigate the relationship between hunter-gatherers and farmers in the Lower Danube basin, a geographically intermediate area that is characterized by a rapid Neolithic transition but also by the presence of archaeological evidence that points to cultural exchange, and thus possible admixture, between hunter-gatherers and farmers. We recovered four human paleogenomes (1.13 to 4.13 coverage) from Romania spanning a time transect between 8.8 thousand years ago (kya) and 5.4 kya and supplemented them with two Mesolithic genomes (1.73- and 5.33) from Spain to provide further context on the genetic background of Mesolithic Europe. Our results show major Western hunter-gatherer (WHG) ancestry in a Romanian Eneolithic sample with a minor, but sizeable, contribution from Anatolian farmers, suggesting multiple admixture events between hunter-gatherers and farmers. Dietary stableisotope analysis of this sample suggests a mixed terrestrial/ aquatic diet. Our results provide support for complex interactions among hunter-gatherers and farmers in the Danube basin, demonstrating that in some regions, demic and cultural diffusion were not mutually exclusive, but merely the ends of a continuum for the process of Neolithization.
The unusual mix of morphological traits displayed by extinct South American native ungulates (SANUs) confounded both Charles Darwin, who first discovered them, and Richard Owen, who tried to resolve their relationships. Here we report an almost complete mitochondrial genome for the litoptern Macrauchenia. Our dated phylogenetic tree places Macrauchenia as sister to Perissodactyla, but close to the radiation of major lineages within Laurasiatheria. This position is consistent with a divergence estimate of B66Ma (95% credibility interval, 56.64-77.83 Ma) obtained for the split between Macrauchenia and other Panperissodactyla. Combined with their morphological distinctiveness, this evidence supports the positioning of Litopterna (possibly in company with other SANU groups) as a separate order within Laurasiatheria. We also show that, when using strict criteria, extinct taxa marked by deep divergence times and a lack of close living relatives may still be amenable to palaeogenomic analysis through iterative mapping against more distant relatives.
This two-wave longitudinal study identified configurations of social rejection, affiliation with aggressive peers, and academic failure and examined their predictivity for reactive and proactive aggression in a sample of 1,479 children and adolescents aged between 9 and 19 years. Latent profile analysis yielded three configurations of risk factors, made up of a non-risk group, a risk group scoring high on measures of social rejection (SR), and a risk group scoring high on measures of affiliation with aggressive peers and academic failure (APAF). Latent path analysis revealed that, as predicted, only membership in the SR group at T1 predicted reactive aggression at T2 17 months later. By contrast, only membership in the APAF group at T1 predicted proactive aggression at T2.
Portal Wissen = Erde
(2017)
Die Erdoberfläche wandelt sich ständig. Sie bildet den Übergang zwischen Geo-, Bio- und Klimasphäre und beeinflusst die Entwicklung unseres Planeten. Sie ist unser Lebensraum und nimmt damit eine Schlüsselrolle für das Wohlergehen der Menschheit ein. Das Gesamtsystem ist jedoch in vielerlei Hinsicht noch unverstanden.
Es ist höchste Zeit, das zu ändern, denn der Erde – und uns – bleibt nicht mehr viel Zeit. „Wir bringen in kaum mal 200 Jahren das Gleichgewicht durcheinander, das in über vier Milliarden Jahren Erdgeschichte geschaffen wurde“, mahnte der Fotograf und Filmemacher Yann Arthus-Bertrand im Jahr 2009. Nun haben sich Potsdamer und Berliner Geowissenschaftler, Biologen und Klimaforscher zusammengetan:* Gemeinsam untersuchen sie Prozesse der Erdoberfläche, um diese auf verschiedenen Raum- und Zeitskalen besser zu verstehen und Voraussagen zur Entwicklung unseres Lebensraums treffen zu können.
In der aktuellen Ausgabe des Forschungsmagazins „Portal Wissen“ stellen wir Ihnen einige der Forschungsprojekte vor, aber auch die Wissenschaftlerinnen und Wissenschaftler, die sie vorantreiben. Dafür sind wir Forschern nach Äthiopien gefolgt, in die „Wiege der Menschheit“, wo aufwendige Bohrungen einen Blick in die Klimageschichte eröffnen. Die Analyse der mehrere Hunderttausend Jahre alten Ablagerungen bietet nicht nur Erkenntnisse für Geo- und Klimaforscher. Mithilfe modernster Genanalysen könnten Biologen sogar die Entwicklung ganzer Ökosysteme in ihrer Vielfalt über lange Zeit hinweg rekonstruieren. Dass weit blickt, wer Grenzen zwischen Disziplinen überschreitet, hat uns ein Geomikrobiologe gezeigt, dessen Forschung nicht mehr nur auf und in der Erde, sondern sogar im All stattfindet. Die Nachwuchswissenschaftlerinnen und -wissenschaftler des Graduiertenkollegs StRATEGy wiederum zerlegen große Brocken der argentinischen Anden in dünnste Scheiben – um zu verstehen, wie das Gebirge entstanden ist. Und ein Experte für Datenanalyse erklärt, warum es nicht genügt, Unmengen an Daten zu sammeln und einen Computer damit zu füttern, sondern auch darauf ankommt, sie mit den richtigen Analyseinstrumenten lesbar zu machen.
„Die Welt ist so schön und wert, dass man um sie kämpft“, schrieb Ernest Hemnigway. Nichts anderes tun Wissenschaftler, die nach Lösungen suchen, um zu verhindern, dass die Menschheit die Erde unumkehrbar beschädigt. Wir trafen eine Wissenschaftlerin, die mit Kollegen aus ganz Europa daran arbeitet, mehr über Spurenelemente zu erfahren und Pflanzen als „Staubsauger“ für Schadstoffe einzusetzen. Und wir ließen uns erklären, wie aus der Ferne aufgenommene Satellitenbilder den Naturschutz revolutionieren.
Daneben soll die Vielfalt der Forschung an der Universität Potsdam keineswegs vergessen werden: Wir sind Verwaltungswissenschaftlern auf den Spuren erfolgreicher Reformen rund um die Welt gefolgt, haben geschaut, wie Lesen lernen besser gelingen kann, gefragt, was Nachhilfe leistet (und was nicht) und einen Blick in den vernetzten Klassenraum der Zukunft geworfen. Außerdem haben uns Germanistinnen ihre brandenburgischen Sprachschätze offenbart, Psychologinnen ihre Experimente gezeigt und eine Historikerin erklärt, warum sich das MfS in Afrika als Entwicklungshelfer betätigte. Nicht zuletzt haben wir eine Chemikerin im Labor besucht, uns in die Sprache der Klimabilder einführen lassen und einer Romanistin zugehört, die mit allen Sinnen forscht. Viel Vergnügen!
Die Redaktion
* Der Universität Potsdam (UP), des Helmholtz-Zentrums Potsdam – Deutsches GeoForschungsZentrum (GFZ), des Alfred-Wegener-Instituts für Polar und Meeresforschung (AWI), des Potsdam Instituts für Klimafolgenforschung (PIK), des Naturkundemuseums Berlin (MfN) und der Technischen Universität Berlin (TUB).
Many studies demonstrated interactions between number processing and either spatial codes (effects of spatial-numerical associations) or visual size-related codes (size-congruity effect). However, the interrelatedness of these two number couplings is still unclear. The present study examines the simultaneous occurrence of space- and size-numerical congruency effects and their interactions both within and across trials, in a magnitude judgment task physically small or large digits were presented left or right from screen center. The reaction times analysis revealed that space- and size-congruency effects coexisted in parallel and combined additively. Moreover, a selective sequential modulation of the two congruency effects was found. The size-congruency effect was reduced after size incongruent trials. The space-congruency effect, however, was only affected by the previous space congruency. The observed independence of spatial-numerical and within magnitude associations is interpreted as evidence that the two couplings reflect Different attributes of numerical meaning possibly related to orginality and cardinality.
Portal Wissen = reich
(2017)
Reich – das ist eine komplexe Sache. Während Weltreiche der Menschen kommen und gehen, auch wenn sie nur allzu oft das Gegenteil behaupten, und die ewigwährende Existenz des Himmelreichs bis heute nicht glaubhaft bewiesen ist, kann ein anderes, das so viel älter ist, einen scheinbar unerschöpflichen Reichtum vorweisen: das Reich der Tiere und Pflanzen.
A propos Reichtum: Auch der ist nicht ohne, gerade wenn es dabei ums Geld geht. Die einen sind reich und wollen es um jeden Preis bleiben. Die anderen wollen es noch werden und suchen den Weg dorthin. Manche den schnellsten, manche den einfachsten, manche den perfekten. Es gibt sogar Menschen, die dabei nichts dem Zufall überlassen wollen und die Sache wissenschaftlich angehen. So wie der amerikanische Schrifsteller Wallace D. Wattles, der 1903 ein Buch mit dem Titel „Die Wissenschaft des Reichwerdens“ vorlegte. Seine Abhandlung war für „Männer und Frauen gedacht, deren dringendes Bedürfnis Geld ist, die zuerst reich werden und danach philosophieren wollen“. Von seinem Werk war er derart überzeugt, dass er eine Art Erfolgsgarantie formulierte. Wer seinen Ausführungen folge, werde „zweifellos reich werden, denn die hierin angewendete Wissenschaft ist eine genaue Wissenschaft, und Misserfolg ist unmöglich“.
Wattles ist inzwischen weitgehend vergessen, aber das Geheimnis – finanziellen – Reichtums scheint alles andere als entschlüsselt. Die einen haben ihn, die anderen wollen ihn. Dazwischen klaffen Welten – sowie Neid, Vorurteile und Unkenntnis. Grund genug für uns, noch einmal auf Wallace D. Wattles und seinen so selbstbewusst behaupteten Zusammenhang von Reichtum und Wissenschaft zu schauen und zu sagen: Ja! Natürlich macht Wissenschaft reich, aber vor allem an Erkenntnissen, Erfahrungen – und eben Wissen. Wissenschaft ist in ihrem Inneren nicht ruhmreich, sondern lehrreich. Und das Schöne ist: Der Reichtum, den Wissenschaft bringt, ist von jener Art, dass er allen zugleich und gleichermaßen zugutekommen kann. Niemand muss sich auf Kosten anderer bereichern, im Gegenteil: Oft lässt sich gemeinsam viel mehr erreichen. Alles andere kommt (fast) von selbst. „Derjenige, der Wissen erwirbt, wird von Gott reich belohnt“, lautet die vom islamischen Propheten Mohammed überlieferte religiös angereicherte Form dieses Loblieds auf die Wissenschaft.
In der aktuellen Ausgabe der „Portal Wissen“ soll es freilich – erfreulich unzeitgemäß – faktisch zugehen. Deshalb laden wir Sie ein auf einen Rundgang durch das Forschungsreich der Universität Potsdam und ihrer Partner. So geht es artenreich um Forschungen zu Schweinswalen und Labormäusen. Wir zeigen Ihnen eine Historikerin auf den Spuren eines reichen Domschatzes und sprechen mit einem Bildungsforscher über das Geheimnis finanziellen Reichtums. Germanisten erklären uns die reiche Sprache der Literaturkritik in der Epoche der Aufklärung und wir folgen einem Geowissenschaftler in die Berge, wo er reichlich große Brocken bewegt, um die richtigen Steine zu finden. Außerdem geht es um die Städte von morgen, die hoch und trotzdem (reich an) grün sind, reichlich Wasser bei einer Jahrhundertsturzflut und Insekten als Alternative für eine reichhaltige Ernährung von morgen. Wir führen Sie ins Grenzgebiet zweier Disziplinen, wo sich Jura und Philosophie die Hand reichen, sprechen mit zwei Literaturwissenschaftlern, die der erstaunlichen Reichweite des Phänomens Schlager nachgehen und erfahren von einer Nachhaltigkeitsforscherin, wie sich angesichts drängender globaler Probleme – abermals: gemeinsam – dauerhafte Lösungen erreichen lassen.
Reicht Ihnen das? Wir wünschen Ihnen eine genussreiche Lektüre!
Die Redaktion